Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set Review

The wildly different experiences of customers with verified purchases of this sheet set make it difficult to recommend this product outright. However, if you do luck out and get the quality that the positive feedback praises, then Mayfair Linen's Hotel Collection sheet set is a good deal.

If you’re looking for affordable luxury, Mayfair Linen products may be right up your alley. Mayfair Linen has roots in both Egypt and India, although it has a local HQ in California. The company’s bath, bed and kitchen linens are found in many hotels across the globe—for good reason.

According to the Mayfair Linen, they cut out middlemen that would otherwise drive up the market price of their products. How do they do this? By taking on practically everything—from sourcing materials and manufacturing products; to setting up online storefronts, establishing relationships with retailers, and handling wholesale transactions.

On top of this, Mayfair Linen is said to follow ethical manufacturing processes. Third party auditors ensure that their facilities meet strict standards and that the company’s practices line up with what they promote.

This review is on one of Mayfair Linen’s most popular products: their 100% Egyptian Cotton sheet set. Why is it so popular? Is it worth the cost? How does it perform after the first few washes? We do out best to provide you with the answers below.

What Is the Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set Made From?

The textile boasts of an 800 thread count and is made from 100% Egyptian long staple cotton, featuring a sturdy sateen weave.

The sheet set comes in different solid colors—not just plain White, Dark Grey and Black. There’s also Burgundy, Lilac, Royal Blue, and over half a dozen more. However, please note that not all colors may be available for certain mattress sizes.

What Is Long Staple Cotton?

Cotton plants produce bolls, with each one containing about 250,000 separate fibers. Short staple fibers are a maximum of 1 and 1/8 inches long, while long staple fibers can be up to 1 and 1/4 inches long. Long staple cotton fabric is made from long stable cotton fibers.

Long staple fibers are better than short staple fibers because using the former results in the creation of much stronger yarns. This, in turn, makes it possible to twist the yarn and make it finer, which is needed for higher thread count fabric.

Mayfair Linen calls the yarns produced by their Egyptian cotton “100% combed compact yarn” and asserts that these make for fabric that doesn’t pill.

What Is Sateen Weave?

Sateen is a weave pattern very similar to satin weave. The difference is in the fibers used: sateen weave is used for cotton and rayon; while satin weave is used for nylon, polyester and silk. Sateen and satin weaves are meant to enhance the smoothness, evenness and luster of one side of a textile.

Combined with a high thread count, the sateen weave pattern works to provide both comfort and durability. This is fabric that is in actuality heavy and sturdy—with a dull side and a smooth side—but still feels light and soft.

What’s Included in the Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set?

Here are the separates included in the queen sheet set: one flat sheet measuring 90 by 102 inches, one fitted sheet measuring 60 by 80 inches with a depth of 15 inches, and two pillowcases measuring 20 by 30 inches.

On their official website, the full name of this product notes that it is part of Mayfair Linen’s Hotel Collection. Smaller mattress sizes come with smaller sheets, of course, but the same size pillowcases. King and California King sheet sets come with bigger sheets and slightly bigger pillowcases.

The pillowcases are very simple. Don’t expect a flap, zipper or a sham enclosure. Some people have also commented that it feels a little small for their regular sized pillows.

How Does the Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set Perform?

While the majority of customer feedback we sifted through was positive, there are more than a few featuring a strikingly consistent litany of complaints. At best, we can say that the quality of the sheet set varies.

Let’s look at the positives first: Satisfied customers with verified purchases have noted that they do feel the “hotel quality” of the sheets and sleep comfortably on them. Numerous accounts mention ordering a second of third set of Mayfair Linen sheets. Basically, everything Mayfair Linen says about their product is validated by these anecdotes and compliments.

Now for the negatives: Complaints consisted of customers insisting that the sheets did not feel like Egyptian cotton and did not feel like the fabric had a high thread count. These are also customers with verified purchases, with some of them saying that they regularly buy Egyptian cotton sheets, which made it easy to tell what was different about Mayfair Linen’s offering.

They said that the sheets did not feel soft and sturdy, and instead were scratchy and flimsy—particularly after the first wash. Some also complained about the fit and size, although we found no real complaint about the vibrancy of the color variants. Some notable and particularly horrific reviews (with accompanying pictures for proof) complained about fabric stains and/or dead bugs in between sheets!

There’s also a smattering of anecdotes that say that their first Mayfair Linen purchase was good, but that a subsequent purchase was not of the quality they had come to expect. A few even noted that they think they receive someone else’s returned sheet set, as the sheets were crammed into the plastic packaging and not folded properly

Important to remember here that these comments are found on Amazon, and not on their official website’s online store. It is curious that no reviews of this sheet set are displayed on their own store, even though they created an interface for customers to easily leave their thoughts. Maybe it’s just a case of everyone find it easier to order from Amazon.

One more thing: During the course of our research, we found some problems regarding the fitted sheet of this set.

On the brand website, the depth is listed at 12 inches and it’s marketed as good for mattresses up to 17 inches deep. On Amazon (which we used as a source in the section above) it’s listed at 15 inches and marketed as good for mattresses up to 18 inches deep. How would this be possible if we’re to believe that the fabric is 100% cotton with a sateen weave? No stretch fabric or knit here.

Is the Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set Hypoallergenic?

Because the sheet set is made from 100% high quality cotton, an all-natural fiber which is known to be allergen resistant.

Cotton fabric is also breathable, which makes it more difficult for mold growth to form or spread. Breathability also means that there’s less change of getting night sweats. And even if you’re particularly prone to excessive perspiration, the fabric will be able to wick away a good amount moisture. Good cotton sheets may help you sleep soundly instead of waking up in a cold sweat all the time.

Does Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set Smell?

Some customers say yes, some say no. This is another point of contention, although an unpleasant smell is mentioned in both positive and negative feedback.

Our take? The odor is probably less of a chemical or manufacturing issue and more to do with the plastic packaging the sheet set comes in. This would explain why some customers say that the sheets didn’t smell at all or that the smell washed out immediately, while others could not get rid of the smell even after ten washes or more.

How long the packaged sheet set sits in inventory is important. As time passes, off-gassing of the product and the plastic its encased in builds up inside, to be released only when it’s opened up. Even products that are certified by OEKO-TEX—which has to do with sustainability and safety—may have low levels of off-gassing.

About that OEKO-TEX certification, though: Other Mayfair Linen product listings note their they have this certification. This same assurance currently not seen anywhere on the Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set’s product pages on Amazon or on the company’s official website.

How Do You Wash the Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set?

Mayfair Linen may have this sheet set under their Hotel Collection, but these sheets and pillowcases are washable at home. Just machine wash warm on a normal cycle and then tumble dry on low.

Other tips straight from Mayfair Linen:

Quickly remove sheets from the dryer as soon as they’re done so prevent wrinkling.

Don’t use bleach of any kind—yes, that means chlorine and color-safe bleach.

Don’t pour detergent directly on your sheets. Add it to the water instead.

How Much Does the Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set Cost?

As of this writing, one queen size Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set is available on Amazon for $67.99.

The price quoted about is for a sheet set in White. Other colors may have different price points, likely due to availability and demand. We also mentioned this earlier, but some colors may flat out not be available for some mattress sizes at all.

For example: Currently, the Black variant is available in all sizes except for queen. Meanwhile, the Dark Grey variant is the same price as the White, but the Deep Blue variant is listed higher at $69.99. Royal Blue variant is even more pricey at $72.99. The Blush variant is a whole ten dollars more expensive at $82.99.

Does Mayfair Linen Offer a Trial Period, Return Policy or Warranty?

There is a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee mentioned on Mayfair Linen’s Amazon listings, which states that if you are unsatisfied with the product in any way, you may contact Mayfair Linen within 30 days to initiate a return and a full refund.

“Sometimes, mistakes happen,” is what Mayfair Linen states, along with saying that they work to resolve customer satisfaction issues as easy returns and risk-free purchases are part of “standard Amazon” policies.

Final Words on the Mayfair Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set

The wildly different experiences of customers with verified purchases of this sheet set make it difficult to recommend this product outright. However, if you do luck out and get the quality that the positive feedback praises, then Mayfair Linen’s Hotel Collection sheet set is a good deal.

In addition to the customer feedback issue, we found some startling inconsistencies with the details that were presented by Mayfair Linen. Why can’t we find their company name listed as a Cotton Egypt Association accredited manufacturer? Why the misleading marketing about the depth of their fitted sheet? Why mention the OEKO-TEX certification on some product listings only, instead of all of them?

Our bottom line advice: If you want to try out Mayfair Linen’s products, get them through Amazon or another online retailer with a separate return and exchange policy, so you don’t rely with just Mayfair Linen’s satisfaction guarantee.